Political Director

Unite America seeks a Political Director to join our External Affairs team. The Political Director will lead the organization’s candidate support programs and build relationships with elected officials in order to advance policy and political objectives related to nonpartisan election reform.

This role offers the opportunity to shape impactful political and electoral strategies and foster partnerships that support the organization's mission of promoting  a more representative and functional government focused on serving the interests of all citizens. 

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker and experienced political operator who thrives in a dynamic environment. They should bring deep knowledge of the political landscape at the state and federal levels, experience in campaign finance and compliance, a proven ability to build strong political alliances, and a demonstrated commitment to advancing cross-partisan collaboration. The Political Director will play a pivotal role in building the organization’s influence to enact meaningful political and electoral change in the near- and long-term. 

Unite America encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds and from across the political and ideological spectrum to apply.

The position will ideally be based at Unite America’s headquarters in Denver, CO; however, we recognize that strong talent lives nationwide. We continue to recruit and retain the best talent; therefore, we are open to employees living across the country and working remotely. Unite America offers a stipend for new hires willing to relocate to Denver.

Requirements

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Planning & Program Management

• Develop strategies for effective elected official and candidate engagement to support organizational policy goals at both the state and federal level
• Create and manage partnerships with -- and grants to -- state and national organizations.
• Form coalitions with like-minded organizations to amplify influence and resources.
• Build and execute new programs, such as candidate and elected official programs, led by Unite America.

Candidate Programs

• Identify, vet, and track candidates who support our mission, ensuring engagement strategies remain impactful and compliant.
• Collaborate with the Campaigns team to align strategies with specific state campaigns. Recommend and oversee contributions to candidates and Political Action Committees (PACs), strictly adhering to all legal and ethical standards
• Collaborate with external partners to secure endorsements, coordinate on candidate engagement, and provide financial support to aligned partners.
• Track all contributions and expenditures against internal KPIs.

Elected Official Programs

• Represent organizational priorities to a range of policymakers through direct meetings, conferences, and other outreach.
• Design and execute engagement programs that strengthen ties with stakeholders and support policy objectives, including programs to elevate and network together policy champions nationally.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with elected officials, political staff, and key stakeholders to advance organizational priorities.
• Collaborate with other members of the Program team and Communications team to provide resources, model policy, briefings, and other resources to policymakers.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of eight years of experience in leading political campaigns, external affairs, lobbying, government affairs, developing relationships with candidates and elected officials, and/or strategically dispersing political contributions.
• Strong commitment to cross-partisanship and a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across political lines.
• Extensive knowledge of state and federal political electoral landscapes and electoral dynamics.
• Familiarity with campaign finance and compliance requirements.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills with a talent for stakeholder engagement and coalition-building with the ability to navigate complex political environments effectively.
• Skilled in stakeholder mapping, advocacy, and data-driven decision-making to generate strategic insights.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities. Capable of engaging diverse audiences and clearly conveying complex political, technical, budgetary and program details to staff, board members, donors and external stakeholders.
• Proven experience in program oversight, management, and operational execution.
• Critical thinking ability, coupled with decisive action, to synthesize complex issues effectively.
• Initiative-driven, highly self-motivated, adaptable to working independently or collaboratively, consistently bringing tasks and projects to successful resolutions.
• High ethical standards and a commitment to integrity and transparency.
• Genuine passion for Unite America’s mission.

OUR ORGANIZATION

Unite America is a non-partisan, philanthropic venture fund (composed of several legal entities) that invests in candidates, campaigns, and organizations in order to advance nonpartisan election reforms that will foster a more representative and functional government capable of solving America’s most pressing challenges.

Founded in 2014, Unite America and its 30+ person team has grown to be a leader in the democracy reform movement. The organization has existed in its current form, and with its current primary focus, since 2019; in that time, we have successfully mobilized tens of millions of dollars from scores of philanthropists to candidates and reform campaigns across the country. In 2024, Unite America mobilized over $70M to the election reform movement.

Recent victories where we played a leading or a major supporting role to win: a major anti-gerrymandering campaign in Virginia; a first-of-its-kind,top-four nonpartisan primary system in Alaska that helped elect one of the most ideologically diverse slate of statewide officeholders in recent history; and a ballot initiative in Nevada to implement Alaska-style reforms in that state. We are poised to dramatically scale our impact in the years to come.

At Unite America, we are working to build a more representative and functional government that puts voters first and reflects the diversity of our country, and an inclusive democracy in which leaders embrace problem-solving over fueling divisiveness. Likewise, we have a vision of building an organization that reflects diverse identities, experiences, and perspectives; a culture of working across differences toward common goals; and a workplace where everyone feels included, respected, and heard. To that end, Unite America is proud to have made diversifying our team, ensuring more equitable opportunity, and fostering a culture of belonging a priority. Our organizational values reinforce this commitment as we work to model the leadership we seek, solve problems together, and take care of one another, to name a few.

Benefits

• Competitive Compensation ($120-150k)
• 401(k) Plan (with up to a 3% employer contribution match)
• Health Care Plan (medical, dental, and vision)
• Unlimited Paid Time Off (vacation, sick days, public holidays, and team-wide wellness days)
• Family Leave (maternity, paternity, and adoption)
• Paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff
• Training & Professional Development
• Wellness Resources
• Opportunity to join an inclusive, vibrant, and diverse team